Cabinet mechanism for dispensing prededtermined lengths of a web such as towelling



1me 1 .71 J. B. ENGEL ETAL CABINET MECHANISM FOR ms mnsmc PREDETERMINED LENGTHS OF A WEB SUCH AS TOWELLING 3 Sheets- -Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 23. 1952 INVENTORJ Jan/v 6. E/VGEL B RWeINE E. ash-use.

ATTQENEVS tion as United States Patent CABINET MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING PREDE- TERMINED LENGTHS OF A WEB SUCH AS TOWELLING John B. Engel and Lawrence E. Plettner, Green Bay, Wis., assignors to Bay West Paper Company, Green Bay, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 23, 1952, Serial No. 267,832

11 Claims. (Cl. 312-39) This invention relates to a cabinet mechanism for dispensing predetermined lengths of a web such as towelling. t

The cabinet proper supports a roll of the web to be dispensed. The mounting for that roll is so designed as to accommodate minor differences in core length and to interlock the core with the mounting to minimize the possibility that the core may be pulled loose during dispenser operation. 1

One major feature of the invention involves a cabinet construction such that the cabinet proper supports the roll of web material and has a cover providing most of the cabinet front wall. mechanism is all mounted on a tray, the front of which provides the remainder of the cabinet wall, the arrangement being such that the tray with all of the dispensing mechanism thereon is bodily removable from thefcabinet The mechanical dispensing for repair or replacement, leaving the cabinet mounted on the wall.

Another major feature of the invention consists in the novel, simple and inexpensive control mechanism which acts positively to limit the amount of web which will be dispensed in any single operation. This mechanism involves a lever rotatable with the dispensing crank, and a floating pawl with which such lever interacts to permit two full crank rotations and no more until the pawl is re-set. The floating pawl is mounted on a pin for oscillation and reciprocation between two fixed stops. A detent lever isbiased toward said pin to engage the rear end of the pawl for maintaining the pawl releasably in each of the two positions. of oscillation to which the pawl is movable, and for biasing the pawl for bodily reciprocation to a third position in the path of the crank operated lever. When the pawl is re-set, it is retracted from beneath the crank-operated lever and oscillated to a position above such lever and thereupon left with its end in the path of lever rotation. In the first rotation of the crank, the lever merely engages the end of the floating pawl, whereby the pawl is oscillated back to its original position. On the next rotation of the crank, the lever engages the top of the pawl to be arrested thereby. H

Another major feature of the invention concerns the re-setting means. The objective of devices for limiting tht amount of web which can be'dispensedin a given operation is to conserve the towellingor other material by relying on the fact that if the amount dispensed would serve the purpose, the ordinary patron will satisfy himself with that amount rather than going through a second sequence of dispensing operations. Each dispensing operation involves, first, the re-setting of the pawl, and secondly, the rotation of the crank until the dispensing rolls come to rest as a result of pawl operaabove described. The re-setting button is desirably located on the front wall portion of the tray which is normally exposed beneath the cabinet cover and in a positionwhere it will be concealed by the path of the dispensed web until the web dispensed has been 2,839,345 Patented June 17, 1958 ice torn free from the cabinet. This further reduces the likelihood that a user-will waste paper, since the release button is concealed from his view until after he has torn off the length of .web originally dispensed.

In the drawings:

Fig. .1 is a view in perspective of a dispensing cabinet mechanism embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective showing the cabinet open.

Fig. 3 is a view on an enlarged scale showing the cabinet in horizontal section, portions of the dispensing rolls being broken away. i

Fig. 4 is a view taken in section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. r

Fig. 5 is a view taken in section on the line 5-5 of .Fig. 3, showing of the dispensing rolls being omitted for clarity.

Fig.6 is a view on a somewhat reduced scale showing in perspective the removable tray unitarily mounting the dispensing mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a view taken in section on line 7-7 of Fig. 3. r i t i r Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail view similar to Fig. 7 showing the. parts in different position.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail view taken in section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 3.

Fig; 10 is a fragmentary detail view in perspective of an end portionof a supply roll of web to be dispensed.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentarydetail view taken in section through the supply roll mounting and the mounted end portion of the roll.

The cabinet designated generically by reference character 15 comprises a rear wall .16, short side wall sections 17' and a bottom 18.

Thecover generically designated by reference character 20 comprises a top wall 21, a front wall 22 and side walls at 23 which, in the closed position of the cover,

lap the side walls 17 of the cabinet. A look is provided at 24 on the cover having its bolt 25 engaged'with the rear wall of the cabinet to prevent unauthorized access to the supply roll 26. It will be observed that the inturned lower margin 27 of the front wall 22 of the cover is spaced upwardly and forwardly from the bottom wall 18 of the cabinet, leaving a dispensing slot through which the web 30 from supply roll 26 may be dispensed. Behind that slot is the vertical front wall 31 of a tray 32 which rests on the bottom wall 18 of the. cabinet and desirably has a flange 33 interlocked with the front margin of bottom wall 18, as best shown in Fig. 5. The tray has side walls 34 and 35 lying within the side walls of the cabinet and the cover-and supporting the entire dispensing mechanism so that such mechanism may be removed from the cabinetas a unit with the tray. Desirably some means such as thebuttons 36, 37 are used to anchor the tray' to the bottom wall 18 of the cabinet.

The means for mounting thedispensing roll 26 in the cabinet are as follows: The bracket 40 extending transversely of the cabinet near its top has mounting arms 43D and 42 pivoted to the sides 17 of the cabinet by pintle pins 43, 44. Arm 42 has a rigid extension 45 forwardly of bracket 40, at the end of which there is a carrier 46 pivoted at 47 to the arm extension and provided with slots 48, 49 to receive the projecting lug portions 50 and 51 of a strap 52 which is set into the core 53 of the supplyroll 26. In the past, the core fitting has cooperated with an annular support, but it is found that the .core fitting is more secure when made as herein disclosed because, of the fact that in most positions of the supply roll, rectilinear side edges of the bosses engage with the. rectilinear margins at the ends of the slots of the support fitting to minimize any camming action Which might tend to displace the core from the mounting. v

The opposite end of the core is supported by a plug 54 fixed to the end of an arm 55 connected with bracket 40 by a generally upright pintle 56. The pintle is encircled by a relatively heavy torsion spring 57 bearing upon its. ends upon the bracket and upon the arm to urge the arm in a direction to engage the boss in the core. The pressure of this spring is relied upon to maintain the core adequately supported between the arms of the bracket despite any accidental variations in core length which might leave some cores slightly shorter than standard. 1 With the supply roll 26 duly mounted with one end of its core engaged over plug 54, and with the strap 52 at theother end of itscore engaged with the pivoted carrier 46, the end of web 30 is fed downwardly between .-.the driving roll 60 and the spring-pressed idler 61 and past the tear-off knife 62 to issue from the dis-- pensing slot, as shown in Fig. 7 and, in dotted lines, in Fig. 1. In this position, the projecting end of the web completely covers and conceals the button 65 by means of which the feed-limiting mechanism is re-set. When the projecting end portion of the web is torn off across the knife 62, the button 65 is exposed and the device is then in condition foroperation.

The dispensing mechanism will now be described:

-, The roll 60 and apinion 67 are both mounted upon a shaft 68 which is journaled in the side walls 34 and 35 of the tray 32. The idler roll 61 which holds the idler web securely to roll 60 is mounted at its ends on levers 74, 75 which are pivoted to the side walls 34, 35 of the tray and are biased rearwardly by springs 76, as best shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7.

The pinion 67 meshes with the gear 78 mounted below and to the left of the, pinion, as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. The gear 78 is mounted upon a crank shaft 78' which projects from side wall 34 and is provided with a manually operable crank 70 as clearly appears in Figs. 1, 3 and 6. Theside wall 23 of the cover member 20 of the cabinet receives shaft 78 through a slot 71 to permit the cover to be swung on its pintles 72 from theclosed position ofFig. l tothe open position of Fig. 2. a

,In order to constrain'the roll shaft 68 to clockwise rotation as viewed in Fig. 7 and the gear 78 and crank shaft 78 to counterclockwise rotation, a pawl 79 is mounted to co-operate with the teeth of pinion 78, the pawl being pivoted at 80 to a cover plate 81. The pawl is readily cammed aside by the teeth of gear 78 as the teeth rotate in a direction corresponding to the direction of feed rotation of roll 60,-but any attempt to manipulate the crank 70 in the opposite direction is positively restrained by the pawl.

Mounted on a stud 82, which is carried by the tray side wall 34, is a "floating pawl 85 slotted at '86 for limited reciprocation respecting the mounting stud 82, as well as for oscillation about such stud as a pivot. The side wall 34 carries a lower positive stop at 87 against which the floating pawl 85 seats when such pawl is in the lower position shown in full lines in Fig. 7. There is also an upper stop at 88 against which the pawl engages when the pawl is in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 7.

The pawl is formed to provide an upstanding shoulder at 89. At its lefthand end, as viewed in Figs. 7 and 8, the pawl has a pair of flat marginal surfaces at 90 and 91 which are alternatively engaged by the detent lever 92 pivoted to the tray side wall 34 at 93 and biased by spring 94 toward engagement with the pawl. An outstanding flange at 95 on lever 92 broadens its area to assure firm seating contact with the edge surfaces 90 and 91 of pawl 85.

At the opposite or righthand end of the pawl as viewed in Figs. 7-and 8, the pawl-has an end margin 96 and a top margin 97 which are consecutively engaged by the arm 98 during the rotation of gear 78. The arm 98 is carried by a disk 99 connected with the gear as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 7 and 8.

overhanging the pawl in the manner shown in Fig. 7, is a re-setting pawl 100 pivoted at 101 to an upright arm 102 at the end of a lever 103 which extends transversely across the tray 32 as best shown in Fig. 3. The lever is pivoted at 104 to the bottom of the tray near the end of the tray which is remote from the operating mechanism above described. Loosely interlocked with an intermediate portion of the lever is a push rod 105 extending rearwardly across the bottom of the tray from the front thereof. At its forward end, the lever 105 carries the push button 65 above referred to, this being guided in the front wall 31 of the tray in the manner best shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 3. The push rod comprises a channel. having lateral flanges 106, 107, the rear ends of which abut an upstanding flange 108 on lever 103. The web portion of the push rod channel extends through a slot 109 of flange 188 and is booked at 110 about the rear margin of lever 1.03 wherebythe push rod and button 65 are constrained to move forwardly and rearwardly as the lever 103 moves pivotally. The lever 103 is subject to the bias of a spring 111 which tends to move the free end of the lever forwardly and also urges the push rod 105 and button 65 in a forward direction. The rearward movement of the push rod and the free end of lever 103 is caused by manual pressure 0 button 65.

The lever 103 projects through the cover plate 81 so that the pawl 100 is located behind the cover plate as shown inFig. 3 and Fig. 7.. Of all the control mechanism above described, only the pawl 79 is mounted on the cover plate. The complete mechanism for starting and stopping feed rotation of roll 60 is mounted on the trayand remains operative when the cover plate is removed. The cover plate is anchored only by the single screw shown at 112 which, as best illustrated in Figs. 6 and 9, passes through registering ears of the tray side wall 34 and the cover plate 81.

The operation of the control mechanism is as follows:

Fig. 7 shows the positions of t "3 parts after a length of web has been dispensed in readiness to be torn off across the knife 62. In this position of the parts, the arm 98 connected with gear 78 rests on the top edge 97 of the floating pawl 85. Since the pawl is resting securely on its lower stop 87, further movement of gear 78 is positively restrained.

When the projecting portion of the web 38 has been torn off, the operator may again press on the button 65 thereby exposed. An inward pressure on the button will move rearwardly the free. end of lever 103 to cause pawl 100 carried by such lever to exert rearward pressure on the shoulder 89 on the floating pawl 85 thereby drawing the floating pawl rearwardly as permitted by the slot 86in the pawl. This withdraws the pawl from beneath the arm 98 of gear 78 and in addition it causes the pawl to oscillate from the full line position of Pig. 7 to the dotted line position of that view. Further oscillation is precluded by engagement of the pawl with the uppcr'stop 88. However, the pawl will be held in this elevated position, nothwithstanding release of the push button, by reason of the fact that the flat edge 91 of its rear margin is now engaged with the detent lever 92.

In this position ofthe floating pawl, the gear 78 is free to rotate counterclockwise as viewed in Figs. 7 and 8. Accordingly, the operator may, by means of crank 70, actuate shaft 68 and feed roll 60 in a direction to deliver a fresh length of web 30.

In the first full rotation of shaft 68, pinion 67 and gear 78, the arm 98 will reach the position shown in Fig. 8 where it will have engaged the free end margin 96 of the floating pawl to push the pawl rearwardly and to effect clockwise oscillation thereof toward the lower stop 87. Fig. 8 shows an intermediate position of the parts before the pawl has reached its lowermost position. Be-

cause of the rearward displacement of the pawl, and because of the fact that arm 98 is engaged with the end thereof, rather than the upper margin 97, the gear 78 may continue to rotate after the pawl strikes the stop 87. In this position of the parts, the flat edge 90 will be engaged with detent lever 92 and detent lever 92 will be rearwardly displaced against the bias of spring 94. Therefore, as soon as the continued rotationof the crank moves the arm .98 free of engagement with the end surface 96 of the floating pawl, the pawl will spring forwardly toward the axis of gear 78 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 7. Thus, upon completion of the second rotation of gear 78, the arm 98 will again engage the upper margin 97 of the-pawl to be positively arrested. This will measure the required length of web dispensed in a single operation.

At this stage, the push button 65 which must be manipulated as a prerequisite to a repetition of the dispensing operation is concealed. We do not desire to limit ourselves to a push button type of control at this point, since we contemplate that the invention involves this location of the control in a position to be concealed by the dispensed web and we are not, except to theextent indicated in the appended claims, concerned specifically with the type of control used. Experimentation indicates that despite the fact that the control might be manipulated through the projecting end of the web, the user will almost invariably. operate the control only when it is exposed by the severance of the web. n n

The device as herein disclosed has proved particularly satisfactory in economizing on the use of paper towelling, this being the type of web normally dispensed in, the specific embodiment herein disclosed. The invention is not, however, limited to a web of paper, nor to towelling, it being common to dispense cloth towelling and the like subject to similar limiting controls. While it is true that the cloth towelling is not torn off to expose the re-setting control, it is within the contemplation of the invention that the stop mechanism which forms part of this invention may be used independently of the location of the re-setting control. The stop mechanism is exceptionally simple and rugged and economicallymanufactured and kept in repair. An important item in this last regard is the fact that all of the operating mechanism constitutes a unit with the tray, freely removable from the rest of the cabinet simply by turning the buttons to the position of button 36 in Fig. 3 after the front wall of the cabinet is pivoted down to the positionshown in Fig. 2.

We claim: m

1. In a device of the character described for dispensing a severable web from a supply roll, the combination with a dispensing roll and means for the manual operation thereof, of a severing means past which such web to its retracted position,

whereby a further dispensing operation is permitted to said roll.

. 2. The device of claim 1 in which said first stop [member comprises an arm and a rotor upon which the .arm is mounted, said rotor having motion transmitting connection with said roll, the second stop member comprising a pawl having means biasing it axially into the path of the first stop member.

.3. The device of claim 2 in which said pawl is a floating pawl capable of oscillatory, as well .as retractive,

movement and having a supporting stud with which said.

pawl has a slotted portion engaged, the said retracting .means comprising a second pawl with which the floating pawl has an upwardly extending shoulder engaged, and means providing upper and lower stops defining limits of oscillation of the first mentioned pawl, said first mentioned pawl further having detent means tending to maintain it yieldably in engagement selectively with the respective stops, the second pawl being adapted, when actuated by said control, to retract said floating pawl from engagement with the first stop member and then to oscillate said second pawl into engagement with its upper. stop with only its end portion exposed in the path of rotation of said first stop member, engagement of said first stop member with the exposed end portion of the floating pawl being adapted to oscillate said floating pawl toward its lower stop and to push it away from the path of rotation of the first stop member against the bias to which the floating pawl is subject.

4. Resettable stop mechanism for arresting movement of a rotor after more than one revolution thereof, such mechanism comprising the combination with a rotor connected arm, of a mounting stud spaced therefrom, a floating pawl having a slotted portion engaged on said .stud to accommodate reciprocative, as well as oscillatory, movement of the floating pawl, said floating pawl having a free end portion normally projecting into the path of rotation of said arm, biasing means urging the floating pawl toward such normal projection, upper and lower stops for the floating pawl limiting its range of. oscillation about said stud, and detent means for restraining said floating pawl yieldably in the extreme positions thereof defined by said stops, together with :a; resetting device connected -with the floating pawl in a position laterally:oifset from'its mounting stud and movable in a direction to retract and oscillate the floating pawl toward. itsupper stop, the retraction freeing it is fed by said roll, a stop member mounted for movement and connected with said roll to be actuated on a given path as the roll rotates, a second stop member having a mounting upon which it is movable for advance from a retracted position to second and third positions, the second stop member having a portion which, in said first position, is temporarily in the path of the first stop member to receive motion therefrom for the advance of the second stop member to said second position during a given rotation of said roll, and having a stop portion which, in said third position, is in the path of the first stop member to arrest further roll rotation, a mounting on which the second stop member is movable between said retracted position and said second and third positions, means to effect a movement of the second stop member from said second position to said third position, and a resetting device connected with the sec- 0nd stop member for retracting it from said third position from said arm and the oscillation moving the floating pawl toa position where the bias to which it is subject cannot re-engage it beneath said arm, the first rotation of said arm engaging said arm with the end of thefloating pawl in a direction to push it. toward its lower stop, upon which, following the passage of said arm, the floating pawl is advanced by its bias into .a position in the path of said arm for the, positive arrest of arm movement in a subsequent arm rotation.

5. The device of claim 4 in which the detent means comprises obliquely disposed surfaces with which the floating pawl is provided and a detent member bearing against said surfaces and to whichthe pawl-biasing pressure is applied, whereby, 'intransmitting bias to said pawl, the biasing means alsoholds said member selectively in engagement with one of said surfaces to restrain said pawl yieldably from oscillation toward a position of registry of a different surface with said detent member.

6. In a web dispenser, the combination with a shaft provided with an operating handle and a connected dispensing roll and a gear, of a lever arm connected with the gear to rotate therewith, a pin laterally offset from the gear, a floating pawl having a slotted portion mounted on the pin for reciprocation and oscillation, upper and lower stops limiting the oscillation of said pawl between two angularly spaced positions of oscillation, said pawl having a free end portion of such length as to extend normally into the path of rotation of said lever arm and having at its remote end a pair of obliquely related flat margins and having a shoulder projecting upwardly from an intermediate portion, a detent lever having a movable intermediate portion bearing against said margins and having a biasing spring urging it toward said margins, said margins being respectively engaged with the detent lever in the said positions of said pawl, said detent lever urging said pawl toward the gear to the limit of movement permitted by said slotted portion,

' said pawl normally lying against the lower stop with said lever arm engaged with the upper surface of itsfree end, a second pawl engaged with said shoulder for retracting the floating pawl from beneath said lever arm to the limit of movement permitted by said slotted portion and then oscillating said second pawl upwardly to leave said lever arm free for rotation with said gear,

of the gear to engage the lever arm with the end of the floating pawl to force the floating pawl rearwardly and to. oscillate it downwardly into engagement with the lower stop upon which said second pawl moves forwardly under the bias of said detent lever when cleared by said lever arm, the second revolution of said gear and lever arm engaging said'lever arm with the upper surface of the free end of the floating pawl in the last mentioned position thereof to arrest further rotation of the gears and shaft.

7. The device of claim 6 in which said actuating means for the retracting pawl comprises a lever having a pivot remote from said retracting pawl and an up standing arm on said lever to which said retracting pawl ispivoted, together with a manually operable control element connected with said lever for the oscillation thereof.

8. The device of claim 6 in further combination with a restraining pawl engaged with the said gear and having a pivot proximate to said gear, and the restraining pawl extending from said pivot peripherally of said gear and having a hooked end engaged with said gear in a direction to restrain retrogressive movement thereof, said gear being freely movable in a direction from the hooked end of the restraining pawl toward the pivot thereof, said restraining pawl yielding to accommodate such movement. 7

9. The device of claim 6 in which said actuating means for the retracting pawl comprises a push button below said shaft, in further combination with a cabinet housing the mechanism of claim 9 and in which said push button is mounted, a complementary roll co-acting with the dispensing roll for web dispensing, said rolls being mounted side by side for the downward delivery of a web and said cabinet having a web delivering opening through which said web is dispensed across said push button in concealing relation thereto and means for severing the web, said means being located above the push button whereby the severing of such web will again expose the push button.

10. A web dispenser comprising a cabinet having side and bottom walls; a covering having top, side and front walls; pintle means connecting lower portions of the side walls of the cabinet and cover and upon which the cover is pivotally movable from an upper, closed position to a lower, open position; and a tray removably mounted in the cabinet and provided unitarily with web dispensing mechanism mounted thereon and including releasable means for arresting operation of said mechanism after a predetermined web length has been dispensed, said tray having a front wall portion and a manually operable control for said releasable means mounted on said front wall portion, the cover and the front wall of the tray concealing and enclosing all portions of the mechanism when the cover is in its upper closed position, while exposing said control for manipulation while the cover is closed, the cover being adapted in its open position to expose the tray for unitary removal of the tray and said mechanism from the cabinet.

11. A web dispenser comprising a cabinet having side and bottom walls; a cover having'top, side and front walls; pintle means connecting lower portions of the side walls of the cabinet and cover and upon which the cover is pivotally movable from an upper, closed position to a lower, open position; and a tray concealed in the former cover position and exposed in the latter position of the cover and removably mounted in the cabinet on the bottom wall thereof and provided unitarily with dispensing mechanism mounted thereon, said mechanism comprising a feed roll and a drive shaft therefor exteriorly provided with a handle adjacent one of saidside walls, the cover side wall adjacent the handle being provided with clearance for said shaft accommodating the pivotal cover movement aforesaid, the said tray and dispensing mechanism, including the feed roll, drive shaft and handle being unitarily removable and replaceable when said cover is in said open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,084,598 Antone Jan. 20, 1914 1,765,506 Steiner June 24, 1930 1,843,658 Addler Feb. 2, 1932 1,853,705 Steiner Apr. 12, 1932 1,990,636 Crowson Feb. 12, 1935 2,107,790 Harvey Feb. 8, 1938 2,134,631 Birr Oct. 25, 1938 2,146,038 West Feb. 7, 1939 2,169,399 Steiner Aug. 15, 1939 2,190,315 Grunwald Feb. 13, 1940 2,202,183 Wooster a- May 28, 1940 2,219,570 Vaughan et al. Oct. 29, 1940 2,278,029 Walsh et al. Mar. 31, 1942 2,288,332 Steiner et al. June 30, 1942 2,470,187 Price May 17, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 2,839,345 June 1'7,v 1958 John Bo Engel et ale It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered pa tent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

' Column '7, line 54, for the claim reference numeral "9" read h 6 column 8, line 5, for "covesr'ing read cover l,

Signed and sealed this 12th daybf August 1958.,

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL H, AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting ()flicer Commissioner of Patents 

